April 9, 2011

It took me a while to get used to this idea. I started blogging as a way of taking notes - source code, class lectures, and so on. That makes sense to write down. It's useful. It might even be useful to other people. I'm comfortable with writing through decisions and sharing what I'm learning from life, particularly if I can geek out. But everyday stories? Should I write about those when I could, say, write tips or draft presentations instead?

Reviewing my print-outs of past blog posts, though, I find myself coming back to the memories. The tips I've written up for other people (or for myself) are handy. They'll be the nucleus of a book someday. The technical notes I keep help me save time re-solving problems. The memories are the entries that improve with age, becoming richer and more layered over time.

The friends I've made through writing about Emacs, Drupal, and other technical topics also have plenty of insights on life, education, crafts, and other things. The experiences and perspectives I bring to life turn everyday experiences into geek explorations. I think it will all work out.

What it comes down to is this realization: These everyday moments are worth writing about, learning from, and sharing. I might think they're ordinary now, but they anchor my experiences and make it easier to remember whole chunks of life, fleeting sensations, elusive thoughts. Like the way that even rough drawings help me see and remember more clearly, words will be the white pebbles dropped by this Gretel to find her way back. And who knows? Memories trigger other memories. I'm sure I'll learn from other people, and I might help other people along the way.